Skip to main content

No Winner in Ultra-Mobile Computing Race

Ultra-mobile computing could far outsell desktop and notebook PCs in the long-run, and is now garnering much attention from semiconductor firms, according to the latest market study by In-Stat.

Apparently, Intel is gearing up to do battle with ARM -- the RISC-based, incumbent, intellectual property (IP) company that has dominated the embedded mobile semiconductor market for consumer electronics devices for much of this decade.

"Mobile devices are now performing many more computing-related tasks than in the past, thus, placing additional performance and power demands on processors," says Jim McGregor, In-Stat analyst.

"But battery technology cannot currently keep pace with these ever-increasing demands and, at the same time, consumers want compact mobile devices that they can easily slip into a pocket, precluding the use of a larger battery. Processing solutions that offer high-performance, while limiting power consumption, are needed."

The In-Stat research covers the worldwide market for Ultra Mobile Device microprocessors. It examines the battle between processor architectures, which are the hearts and brains of these new devices.

In-Stat's market study found the following:

- Intel's expansion into emerging form factors, such as UMDs and MIDs, with low-power products expands the list of competitors.

- Applications will dictate solutions in the short-run; other factors, such as economies of scale and relationships, will decide solutions in the long-run.

- There will be no clear semiconductor company "winner" in the short-run.

Popular posts from this blog

Embodied AI Robots: Market Upside Trends

Embodied AI is shifting industrial robotics from precise to perceptive — from rigid automation to adaptive execution in messy, variable production environments. For manufacturers and logistics providers, this isn't just a technology upgrade; it's a structural change in how work gets organized and business value gets created. Industrial robots have long excelled in static workflows: automotive assembly, fixed production lines, repetitive tasks. Where variability or human interaction arose, they stalled or required prohibitive engineering. Embodied AI Market Development Embodied AI changes this by closing the "sim-to-real" gap. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research, AI-augmented robots have reached genuine adaptive automation with tangible ROI for early adopters. The shift rests on robust algorithms — particularly Dynamic Policy Adjustment and robotics foundation models — that learn and adapt in real time rather than following hard-coded rules. ...